


Blinded By Moonlight

by LaserDragon



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Little Red Riding Hood Fusion, Alternative title: An Idiot's Guide to Feral Gay Love, Both figuratively and literally, F/F, Female My Unit | Byleth, Fluff, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, Werewolf My Unit | Byleth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24008629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaserDragon/pseuds/LaserDragon
Summary: They say in the forests to the east is where monsters live. Creatures otherwise found only in one's imagination in the flesh. They slink through the shadows and cackle at those few who dare to trespass onto their lands. For they know that once you step foot into the Sealed Forest, you can never leave it. That's what the legends says at least. Edelgard doesn't believe in that- never believed in things like magic and monsters. Yet when she finds herself facing down a beast with a single golden eye and a sadistic gleam, she can't but question the existence of the fantastical.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 37
Kudos: 207





	1. Chapter 1

Soft light filtered through the curtains, enveloping the modest room in it’s gentle glow. The darkness of winter has been giving way to the brightness of spring. Likewise the fluctuating temperature has been more consistently leaning on the warmer side. The mellow scent of freshly bloomed flowers filling the air outside. It’s the perfect time for happiness and love to flourish in. It does nothing to dry the damp coldness filling Edelgard at her very core. The frigid winds of the Ethereal Moon still blow within her soul. The only thing to distract her from it being the feeling of her fingers tapping against the wooden surface of the table and the consistent ticking of the clock. For once she wishes for nothing more than to hear Claude’s zealous but mostly harmless plotting, Dimitri scolding him for even considering such pranks, Ingrid’s deep sigh as she watches the boys argue, while Hilda only eggs them on further. 

Except the boys both have work at the farms- the next batch of crops need to be planted soon or they’ll grow in at the wrong season. Ingrid is currently in the next town over and won’t be back for a few days. While Hilda has had orders that she’s been neglecting far too long that can’t be delayed any further. All this means Edelgard is left to sit in silence against the chair she had claimed, tapping her fingers away with growing fervency. Left alone with thoughts that only grow dimmer with each passing second. Finally her reprieve comes in the form of a door opening nearby. Edelgard stands so quickly that her chair falls down. She pays it no mind, instead focusing on the doctor that just entered the room.

“How is she?” Edelgard’s nails scraped against the wood as she resist the urge to run up to the older woman and shake her shoulders.

“Oh she’s absolutely energetic, grumbled the whole time I was poking and prodding her.” Manuela, in complete contrast to the younger’s flightiness, flips her short hair back with a smile. “A real fighter that one is.” Though the doctor says that there’s a glint in her eye. A melancholy that contrasts with her outward casualness. 

“Manuela please. I need to know the truth.” While her playfulness is a staple of Manuela’s character. Under less dire circumstances Edelgard wouldn’t mind going along with it. Right now it’s only serving to make her nerves more wired.

“As amazing as medicine is, I'm afraid even it has its limits.” Manuela concedes to the request. She grabs a flask out of her coat, taking a long sip from it before continuing. “At this point magic would be her only hope of surviving past summer. The only thing I can do from here on out is make sure she’s as comfortable as humanly possible.”

“I… understand. Thank you for being honest with me.” Edelgard felt all the energy within her flee. A hollowness taking its place. The doctor slips her flask back into her coat.

“If anything else comes up you know where to find me.” Then with that she was gone. Edelgard barely registered the sound of the front door shutting behind Manuela. To consumed by the harsh reality of the mistress that is life.

Mindlessly Edelgard trudged deeper into the cozy home. One of the doors connected to the hallway is open a crack. She pushes it open all the way to find the source of her grief. A girl two years her junior with her once dark hair grayed as though she were far older than she appears. She’s rolling the corner of the blanket she’s sitting on between her fingers, halting the motion the moment she sees Edelgard. Her pink eyes surprisingly calm in spite of everything.

“You know the walls in this house aren’t exactly thick.” Despite the news she’d just been given Lysithea reclines against her bed like she’s merely come across a minor inconvenience. Her nose crinkles once she fully takes in Edelgard’s more fitting gloom. “Ugh don’t give me that look, we’ve both known this was coming for a while.”

“I know. I just can’t help but feel frustrated. There must be _something_ out there that can cure you.” Edelgard admittedly isn’t exactly an expert when it comes to these sorts of things. However she does know that just because a cure for a disease hasn’t been found doesn’t mean that there isn’t one.

“She might have had the right idea about magic.” It’s mumbled faintly under the younger’s breath. So quietly that Edelgard could have easily missed it were it not for the otherwise dead silence of the house.

“Surely you must be joking. Things like magic and fairies only exist in stories.” Such things are nothing more than people’s overactive imagination. What if scenarios brought to life through paper and ink. As fun as such things can be to read about, in the end they are merely fantasies.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Lysithea neither agrees or disagrees with her. It could simply be a desperate desire for anything that could change her situation. Even so Edelgard can’t help but find it curious. “But we do have a mysterious “magic” forest next door that supposedly grows some really potent medicinal herbs.” That on the other hand has her brows knotting together.

“I’ve heard many things about the Sealed Forest but nothing like that.” One of the first things the children of Remire are taught when they learn to speak is to never step foot in the forests to the east. Least the monsters that lurk within its depths be stirred from their slumber. Nothing but mere fairytales to keep children from getting lost within the thick vegetation. At least that’s how it should be. For some reason not even adults dare get close to it.

Instead of responding Lysithea plants both her feet onto the rug. She pushes herself off the bed only for her legs to fail her. Edelgard moves to rush to her aide however the prideful girl halts her. Using the edge of her bed for support Lysithea shakily gets on her feet. It takes a moment for her to find proper balance but she manages to stand without help.

The shorter leads the- admittedly not by much- taller girl to a different part of the house. Into a room that Edelgard has never been into despite having visited thousands of times before. What must have once been a tidy office is currently a maze of books haphazardly strewn about. Left in stacks against the floor instead of being tucked within the shelves. Despite the chaos Lysithea maneuvers through it with ease. Having memorized the little semblance of order that only she could possibly understand.

It doesn’t take Lysithea long to find the prize she seeks. A leather bound journal that had a strange air about it. Edelgard couldn’t explain it, but for some reason looking at it gave her the sensation of an itch she couldn’t scratch. A silent hum in the back of her mind. Lysithea opens the crinkled, yellowed pages and Edelgard leaned over her shoulder to take a peek. Nestled within the journal lay messy scrawls beside drawings of creatures that could only exist in a person’s mind. Women with butterfly wings sprouting out of their backs, a horned turtle the size of a shack, and a wolf that stood on two legs to name a few. As Lysithea scoured through the pages with intense focus the drawings of fantastical creatures gave way to highly detailed plants.

“Where in goddess’s name did you find this?” The journal looks like it’s far older than either of their grandparents. It’s not the type of thing a person picks up by chance.

“Supposedly my ancestors were witches or something like that.” Lysithea responds like that doesn’t create more questions than it answers. “And according to what’s written in here, this is a record of everything they knew about the Sealed Forests.”

“Do you honestly believe in things like magic and monsters?” The earlier vagueness made Edelgard eye the other girl suspiciously.

“What I believe is that the forest is deemed forbidden for a _reason_. There’s something in there people don’t want found.” Lysithea slows down her skimming, taking time to actually read the notes jotted down before moving to the next page. “Maybe it’s monsters or maybe it’s because there are really rare and potent herbs that only grow there.”

“In other words… all the talk of monsters is a faux to hide the fact that herbs that can be used to cure otherwise incurable diseases grow there?”

“There are a lot of people in the world that would tear the forest apart to get their hands on something like that.” It’s certainly a solid theory, far more reasonable than grown men genuinely fearing creatures that don’t actually exist. If Edelgard digs deep into the recess of her memory she can recall her father telling her a story of how the forest was nearly burned down. Lysithea interrupts her musings by practically shoving the journal into her face. “I think this one is what we want.”

Edelgard takes the book, studying the flower etched into the page with ink. With thick, tear shaped petals overlapping one another in the peak of its bloom. The notes describe them as being pink at the base and fading to white at the tips. According to the author the nectar of this flower can be combined with more common household herbs to make a powerful antibiotic that can treat disease otherwise thought incurable. It almost sounds too good to be true. However the intellectual wording and careful detail put into the writing clearly shows that the author genuinely believes what they’ve written. Making it seem far more real then the creatures depicted in this very same journal.

“You know, I thought I’d given up on living already.” Edelgard glances up from the page . Lysithea is toying with the edge of another book, mindlessly flipping the pages in her refusal to meet her friend’s eye. “Yet if my stupid body wasn’t so weak now I’d go hunt down that flower myself.”

Edelgard stared at the other girl for a long moment. At her body that’s too thin and her hair that’s far lighter than it ever should be on someone her age. No matter how much her body had weakened- how she began to struggle to do things she once could without batting an eye- Lysithea had taken it all in stride. Always keeping her head high and refusing to let others treat her like an invalid. In this moment Edelgard realized that though she had never complained or despaired she must be the most frustrated out of all of them. Having her own body slowly fail her, knowing what it will inevitably lead to.

“I swear to you I will find this flower and when we will cure you.” Something within Edelgard snapped, a refusal to accept the way things are. Lysithea deserves far better than to die so young like this.

“I appreciate that but I highly doubt that forest is exactly safe.” Regardless of how true or false the stories are, the fact remains that no one has stepped foot into those woods in centuries. Even if dying to a monster isn’t a risk, the chances of getting completely lost in the untamed land is rather high. “If something were to happen to me I would’ve been screwed either way.”

“I refuse to sit back and watch you slowly die when there’s a possibility that you can be saved out there.” No matter how small of a chance it is Edelgard will still take the risks. She won’t be able to rest knowing there could be a way to save her friend. She has to at least try.

“Edelgard if something were to happen to you because of this I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

“Of course I am not foolish enough to rush in there unprepared.” Edelgard is already mentally listing off the things she might need. Definitely some food and water for the potentially long journey. As well as a weapon in the off chance she runs into a wolf or something similar. “With Claude and Dimitri helping me it should be a simple matter.”

At the mention that the two boys would be accompanying her Lysithea surrendered. While Edelgard understands her friend’s concern it’s rather superfluous. It’s just a forest for goddess’s sake, worse case scenario they run into a bear. Even then unless the animal is starving more times than not they’re just as scared of people as humans are of them. How dangerous could finding a flower be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An intense feeling of dissatisfaction kept overtaking me whenever I thought of working on Moonlight, and it took me a long time to realize why. I’ll confess I had rushed it. So eager to get some wolfleth that I had completely forgone caring about quality or proper pacing. Of course my pride would not allow that to stand so I took a second look at this series, scoured through my notes and drastically changed many things. And now here we are with a fresh new coat of paint. I am much happier with how this came out then the original first chapter of Moonlight and I hope you all are too. Speaking of I’ll leave the original up until this rework is caught up to it. 
> 
> But yeah this time we got more characters and things moving at a bit of a slower pace. Also when I wrote the original I completely forgot that there canonically is a place in 3H called the Sealed Forest, which is way better than just calling it the forbidden woods! I did legit try to find out where the Sealed Forest lies in relation to Remire but came up blank. Oh well, it’s not like this story is following canon AT ALL anyways. Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

If there’s one thing everyone can agree is frustrating about spring, it’s how the weather can fluctuate so rapidly. The day before had been not exactly cold but enough so that there was a slight chill in the air. Today the sun shined down at full force resulting in sweltering heat, enough to make those in the fields call it a day early. Several of the men had forgone their shirts, using them to wipe the sweat off their faces instead. Edelgard is almost tempted to do the same as she keeps an eye out for her two friends. Instead she ops to fan herself with the journal Lysithea had practically thrown at her as she was leaving. Edelgard had tried to tell her it wasn’t necessary- that she had committed the only relevant page to memory. However the younger girl had insisted, claiming if they’re going to be venturing into the forest having it on hand could be useful.

She spots a mop of blond hair first. Sticking to the forehead of the young man it belonged to. Dimitri had opted to keep his shirt on despite how much sweat had soaked into it. Beside him Claude held no such reservations, having wrapped his own shirt atop his head in a makeshift turban. When Edelgard waves the two of them down they shift their path to meet with her. She immediately starts explaining the situation to them, starting with what Manuela had told her before shifting to what she and Lysithea had discussed.

“No, absolutely not.” Dimitri immediately shuts the idea down which doesn’t surprise Edelgard in the slightest. Her step brother is a complete stickler for following the rules to the T.

“Dimitri I asked you to take a look at the woods with me, not kill a man. It’s not like we’d be trespassing on someone’s land.” Edelgard has honestly never cared much for this particular “rule” before now. Yet the more she thinks about it the stranger it seems. It’s one thing to forbid children from going into the woods, but adults too? Lysithea’s conspiracy theory may very well be spot on.

“Perhaps not but you know as well as I do that the Sealed Forest is strictly off limits.” Dimitri doesn’t budge at all. It makes the fire of frustration flicker within Edelgard. He’s acting like she had just asked him to kill a man.

“So you’re saying you’re perfectly content to leave Lysithea to die all because of a stupid rule that doesn’t even make any sense?” Were the circumstances different Edelgard would want to slap herself for saying that. Right now however she’s too worked up to feel guilty about it.

“That is not what I meant.” The much taller of the two squares his shoulders reflexively. Readying to defend himself at a moment's notice should the need arise.

“Then what exactly did you mean?” Ignoring Dimitri’s hostile stance, Edelgard steps towards him with her own aggressive gait. “That you’re too scared of monsters that don’t exist to save your friend?”

“Woah there, calm down your highnesses.” Claude, who had been quietly listening the whole time, stepped between them. Acting as a physical barrier to try and keep the building tension from snapping. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m actually with Dimitri on this one.”

“Funny, and here I thought you’d be all for breaking a few more rules.” It comes out with more bite than Edelgard intended. It’s hardly a secret that Claude is something of a trouble maker. Causing mischief with just enough tact to not be caught by those that would get him in trouble.

“All I’m saying is if everything else written in that journal is fake what makes you think this magical flower isn’t?” It’s a fair point, one that Edelgard doesn’t have an answer to beyond mere gut feeling. “So basically you’re asking us to spend goddess knows how long looking for a needle that might not even exist in a haystack?”

“We cannot know for sure if we don’t even try.” Desperation begins to take hold. She had expected Dimitri to be against the idea but not for Claude to be the same.

“I’m sorry Edelgard but if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.”

“That’s a rather pessimistic way of looking at things.”

“I call it being a realist, which I thought you were.” Claude folds his arms over his chest. Silently challenging her to try to argue further. 

“Right now the most important thing we can do for Lysithea is stay by her side.” Dimitri cuts in before Edelgard could even try. “Not go on a reckless adventure, seeking something that doesn’t exist.” 

With both of them standing against her there’s little Edelgard could do but concede. An awkward tension hangs over them. Claude attempts to dissuade it to the best of his ability by making menial talk. Complaining about work or sharing any gossip that’s caught his eye. Edelgard only half pays attention to what he’s saying. They bring up a good point but a stubborn part of her brain still clings to the possibility- the what ifs. No matter how slim there is still a _chance_. One that Edelgard simply cannot ignore. If she doesn’t at least try then she knows she will come to regret it for the rest of her life. Since the boys refused that just means she’ll have to do it herself instead.

A light fog covers the town when Edelgard packs a rucksack the following morning. Putting into it the journal, a waterskin, a few apples, and a loaf of bread. Once all of those are securely wrapped and settled in she grabs her cloak. A gaudy red thing with an eagle embroidered onto the back of it. It’s a bit too big for her as her mother made it with the intent of Edelgard eventually growing into it. For better or worse her mother had overestimated how much she would grow. The mornings are still cold enough to warrant bringing it, and if it starts to get too hot she can simply shove it into the rucksack. Edelgard tucks her fee into a pair of work boots and is about to walk out the door when she spots something that makes her pause.

Resting atop a table before a grand rocking chair is various tools and a half finished wood carving. Her father must have forgotten to put them away before going to bed. It wouldn’t be the first time. The metal of the tools glitters from the early morning light peaking through the curtains. Without hesitation Edelgard takes one of the larger carving knives and straps it to her belt. That’s the last she takes before jogging through away from the roads, towards the bushel of trees looming in the distance. 

By the time she’s completely surrounded by forestry the fog has completely cleared away. The shade of the trees makes the sky look darker than it actually is. Without any pathways to follow all Edelgard can do is trudge forward. Going over tree roots bursting out of the ground, around thick bushes. Rather than having wandered into the forests nearby Edelgard feels like she’d been transported to a completely different world. Not only is the massive undergrowth vastly different from the sights she’s more accustomed to even the very air feels different. The thing about it that puts her on edge though is how _quiet_ it is. The only sounds reaching her ears being a breeze rustling the leaves and her own grunts as she trudges onward. 

Time completely escapes Edelgard the further in she goes. With the treetops hiding the sky she can’t even tell how high the sun is. The only sign that she had moved any distance at all being how now she can faintly hear the roar of a river. Biting into an apple Edelgard contemplates whether she should keep forging through the undergrowth or switch to following the flow of water instead. For how much people feared the shadows of the Sealed Forest she at least expected to catch a glimpse of animals mulling about. Deer grazing in the distance, wolves stalking her from afar, hell she hasn’t even seen any signs of birds. Not the flash of wings flapping overhead or their chattering songs. Rather than a bountiful forest untouched by man for generations this place feels more like a grave of trees.

Edelgard stops in her tracks, the short hairs along her arm standing on end. The feeling of being watched fills every fiber of her being. Not just by any old gaze either. No, this is a stare full of intent. Slowly she lowers the apple away from her mouth. More focused on searching the treeline for anything remiss then finishing the half eaten fruit. The glint of gold is what eventually leads her to it. With broad shoulders and long ears the wolf stares straight at Edelgard. Its one golden eye practically glowing, where the other should be only marred flesh remains. Two long gashes running down the side of it’s face cutting through its fur. The shadows of the trees making it’s graying fur appear darker than it actually is. The wolf is _massive_ , matching the height of a horse rather than a typical canine.

Every nerve inside Edelgard’ body screams at her to run- to get as far away from this beast as she possibly can. Instead she holds her ground. The advice of her father echoing in her ears: _When a predator sees you never run from it. If you do it will see you as prey and give chase._

The apple falls from her grasp but neither pays it any mind. Without breaking eye contact the wolf skulks forward. Giant, heavy paws leaving behind a clear imprint in the grass it tramples. Edelgard slowly steps backwards to try and maintain the distance between them. There’s an intelligence behind that golden gaze, one that couldn’t possibly be present in a mere animal. Her back hits a tree forcing her to stop and the wolf grins with its teeth. It hunches its shoulders, with nowhere else to go Edelgard pushes herself forward just as the beast lunges. It tried to turn to snap at her only for Edelgard to push up against its side.

They were caught in a stalemate. One where the wolf could not reach her like this and if Edelgard moved away from its side it would bite her head off. Understanding the futility of playing this game of ring around the rosy the wolf stopped. Turned its head in a way that would have allowed it to stare straight at her if this wasn’t its blind side. The beast’s empty eye tore into her while its lips curled back in a furious snarl. Edelgard stayed pressed close to its side, feeling the hard coils of muscle rippling beneath its fur. Bones snapped as they realigned themselves. Paws digging into the dirt while its back arched. The wolf pushed itself up into a standing position. With the body of a wolf yet walking like a man would. The wolf licked its lips, easily towering over her with it’s massive frame.

“Oh fuck.” Edelgard breathed out just before the wolf swiped at her. The wolf’s movements were janky, its body not quite built for this level of flexibility. Its awkwardness gave her enough leeway to duck under it’s paw.

Edelgard uses the opening it creates to bolt. Running blindly through the forest, pushing through bushes without a care. No matter how much her mind wants to, she refuses to look back towards the pounding feet hot on her tail. Knowing full well the slightest stumble could be her end. She makes a sharp turn to try and throw the wolf off. Hears it skid to a halt for it’s larger body is unable to make such sudden turns. There’s a roar in Edelgard’s ears as she focuses all her attention in getting away from the wolf. She realizes too late it’s not adrenaline overwhelming her but the sound of the river growing closer. Nearly stumbling straight into the rapids in her haste.

Behind her the wolf arrogantly saunters out on all fours far more calmly. It knows it already won this chase. All Edelgard could do is delay the inevitable. Except she does have one card up her sleeve. Once she can feel it’s breath against her face she grabs the carving knife and stabs it into the wolf’s neck. The blade isn’t long enough to deal any serious harm but it does make the beast howl out in pain. It thrashes it’s head, slamming into Edelgard. Knocking her back into the torrent of water behind her.

The powerful current throws Edelgard around as though she were nothing more than a rag doll. Pulling her downstream with no way for her to resist it. Giving her a long enough moment above the surface to breath before dragging her back under. Edelgard loses all sense of direction. The only thing she could do was flail about in her disoriented panic and pray to the goddess. Black bleeds into the edges of Edelgard’s vision. Unconsciousness begins to take her in it’s meaty grip while the unforgiving water drags her down into the heart of the forest. The howl of a wolf making the trees tremble with the force of its rage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not only do we have the addition of Lysithea in this rewrite but Claude and Dimi too. Well they were going to be in the original version of this as well but we just hadn’t got that far yet. I figured it’d be better to introduce them early this time around. Oh and our dear Wolf has been made far more menacing. This time ferociously chasing down Edelgard instead of just knocking her into the water. Speaking of a little fun fact about how werewolves work in this au: The ratio of how wolflike to humanoid they are in their beastly forms can vary greatly from individual to individual. This one that chases El leans very heavily more towards the “wolf” side of the scale. To the point where they can easily be mistaken for just a big ol wolf.
> 
> Also as you can see most events got pushed back by at least a chapter. I expect us to get all caught up with the original by chapter four as not much actually happens yet. But I make no for sure promises. Never know when the plot bunnies will attack and give inspiration where there wasn’t before. Or the enablers… You know who you are. With that said until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

In the sea of trees existed a fault line, a split forged in water. Sunlight reflected off the surface of the river giving it an iridescent glow. It’s calm flow disturbed only by the subtle movements beneath its surface. A subtle breeze makes a fuzzy ear flick. The chirping of birds harmonizing with the song of the water. The peacefulness of it all luring out the aquatic life from where they hide. Fish slink under the water without a single care, oblivious to the hungry eyes staring down at them. A tail twitches in anticipation when one drifts close to the shallows. Pecking at the rocks in search of food. Unsuccessful it takes a risk and delves further away from the safety of the depths. Realizing too late that it is not alone. Fingers grasp the fish by its throat, lifting out of the water. It wiggles helplessly within Byleth’s grasp. A futile attempt to escape. If other wolves are unable to break free of her iron grip then a mere fish has no hope of doing so.

Byleth studies her captured prey while she moves to where she had thrown the rest. This one is a bit on the smaller side. Not plump enough to serve more than one person. Usually she would let such catches go but her rumbling stomach gives her another idea. With an enthusiasm that would appall anyone else Byleth sinks her teeth into its flesh and bites its head off. If her mother were around to witness she would probably shake her head in disappointment. Byleth never really understood why. Sure fish taste better cooked but it’s not like eating them raw like this will make her sick. Werewolves have guts of steel after all. It would take something rotten to upset their stomachs.

She shakes the water off of her bare feet while swallowing the remainder of the fish. She’s caught more than enough for now, it’s about time she returned home. A distinct clack has the wolf’s ears swivel towards the sound. Beaks clicking against themselves in a familiar cacophony. Byleth is rather familiar with this particular tune and nothing good ever comes from it. She quickly hops back into her boots, ignoring the discomfort it brings with her feet still wet. Temporarily abandoning her basket of fish to investigate.

She ends up finding exactly what she expects to. A pair of humanoid creatures with green skin and shelled backs clacking their beaks at one another. Kappas speaking in a language that Byleth can’t understand. What does come as a surprise is the object they must be discussing. A girl washed up onto the shore of the river, her clothes and hair completely soaked through. It’s not the first time Byleth has come across a body that’s fallen victim to the powerful currents further upstream. It is however the first time that body has belonged to a person instead of an animal. One of the kappas lifted up her arm before letting it limply fall back down. It gestured to the girl while saying something to its companion, which had the other nodding. The two flipped her onto her back which had the wolf’s fur bristling.

“Hey!” The shout startled the duo, one so much that it fell onto it’s back. The other took one look at her ears which were tilted back before hopping into the safety of the water. The fallen kappa rolled onto its stomach, angrily clacking as it followed after its friend. 

Once they were gone a different kind of apprehension filled Byleth. She takes the girl into her arms, carrying her back to where she had left her things. The wolf’s ears pick up a faint drumming from the girl’s chest. So not a corpse after all, but she will be soon if Byleth can’t get out the water that has no doubt filled her lungs. She places the girl down against the grass. Panic begins to cloud the wolf’s mind. She’s never been in a situation like this where someone’s life is in her hands.

“Well look what we have here!” Byleth’s ears and tail shot up. She looked towards the far too close voice to see a small girl with a canopy of green hair cascading down her back. Her long, elvish ears tilt upward alongside her lips. The motion making the scales along her cheek curve with the motion. “A big bad wolf assaulting an innocent young girl.”

“Sothis… She’s dying.” Normally Byleth would be more than happy to go along with the fae’s theatrics. Normally she doesn’t find girls that are on the brink of death.

“Oh don’t worry about that, watch this.” The fae places a scaled hand against the girl’s chest. A faint glow spreading out from her palm, enveloping her completely in it. Then it’s gone.

The girl sputters and coughs, vomiting out the water making it difficult for her to breath. Once the last of it comes out she takes a few deep, uneven breaths. Soon settling into a fixed pattern. Byleth presses her ear against the girl’s chest. Hearing how much smoother air is flowing through her body now that there’s nothing to clog it. It makes the wolf let out a relieved sigh. She lifted her head to thank Sothis but stopped just before the words came out. The pensive look on the fae’s face as she gazes down at the girl making her hesitate. 

“It’s been a long time since a human has made it this far.” 

“Human?” That single word struck a chord within Byleth. She simultaneously felt the gears in her head pick up their pace and stutter to a halt. It’s only then that the wolf takes a moment to properly look at the girl.

The first thing that she registers is her hair. Its dampness making the brown locks appear darker than they must actually be. The set of her cheeks still delicate with youth, yet surely she’s only a couple of years younger than the wolf at most. Even so she looks so small. In fact the girl had been so light when Byleth had carried her. Easily fitting into her arms. Completely different from the tall, gangly figures other werewolves always described them as. Or the bulky frame that her mother would describe.

“Oh right, this will be your first time seeing one.” Sothis’s voice snapped her out of her musings. Even so Byleth did not take her eyes off the girl. Completely entranced by this new information.

“Are you going to kill her?” The question was so sudden and out of the blue it made Sothis choke on her own spit. It didn’t help how casually Byleth had said that. Her tone completely monotone, as though she were talking about the weather than taking someone’s life.

“Wha- Just what do you take me for?” Sothis glared at the wolf, offended by the question. It was only then that Byleth took her eyes off the girl. Ears dropping slightly atop her head.

“The others always told me we should kill any human that trespasses here.” That got Sothis to sigh. Right, she often forgets that many of her children do not think fondly of humans.

“And what do you think?”

Byleth looked at the girl again, at her soaked clothes and hair. If her theory is right and this girl had indeed fallen into the rapids then she could have been dragged miles away from wherever she fell. From the very edges of the forest to the heart of it. If that’s the case Byleth wouldn’t exactly consider it trespassing.

“I don’t think she chose to come here.”

“It’s true that we made a pact like that with humans long ago… but it’s been so long I’d be surprised if they actually still remember it.” Several generations had to have passed since that time. If humans do still remember it, it’s probably considered nothing more than a folktale by now. “Either way it wouldn’t be fair to punish her for an outdated deal we made with her ancestors.”

Though her expression did not change Byleth’s ears perked up. Her tail swaying gently behind her. The corner of Sothis’s lips tug up at the sight. It seems the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. The fae places a hand between two fuzzy ears, giving the wolf’s head a thorough enough rub to make her hair become even more unruly then it usually is. The subtle little pout that forms on her lips when Sothis stops makes the elder laugh. It’s so easy to forget this stoic wolf is still a puppy.

“Make sure she’s okay, then help her get home safe and sound.” Normally Sothis would take on such a task herself. This time she’ll make an exception. A chance for her to get to know a human could so easily never pop up again for the rest of Byleth’s life. That’s not an opportunity Sothis would dare take from her.

“I will. Can you tell my mom I’ll be gone for a few days?” Byleth hadn’t meant to be gone for long, but escorting this girl back to the edges of the forest will take at least a day or two.

“Of course, can’t let momma wolf worry over why her pup didn’t come home on time.” With that Sothis melded into the trees, disappearing from sight.

With nothing else to focus her attention on Byleth continues to study the girl. She can’t really do anything until this stranger wakes up but wait. There’s no point in catching any more fish. Anymore then what she already has and they’ll just spoil. She places the back of her hand against the girl’s forehead. Her skin feels like ice, it’s to be expected all things considered but it still startles her. Her completely drenched clothes can’t be comfortable to wear either. It won’t be good if she gets sick because of this.

When Byleth proceeds to undress the girl, starting with her shoes, she feels her heart begin to flutter. The wolf touches her own cheek to find it oddly warm. It gets worse with each layer of clothing she removes from the girl. Exposing more and more of her milky white skin. How strange, Byleth has never felt like this before. Byleth pounds at her chest to try and curb these unfamiliar sensations. Maybe next time she sees Sothis she can ask her what this strange feeling is. Once the wolf had stripped the girl down to her underwear- she considered taking those off too, but the mere thought made her heart feel like it was about to explode-she covered the girl with her coat. The fur lining the inside of it should help her warm up.

Byleth settles down next to the unconscious girl. Ears perking up as she took up her position. Flicking too and fro for any signs of approaching danger. The sun kissing her cheeks while a light breeze tickles her arms. Birds sang their songs from the treetops. While the rest of the forest continued unbothered, Byleth sat guard beside the first human to step into these lands in a thousand years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t want this scene with Byleth finding Edelgard to be EXACTLY the same as the original version. So I wracked my brain for ways to change it up a bit, and my brain said add kappas. So have a brief cameo of a couple of kappas. I also changed up the conversation between Byleth and Sothis a bit too. Added more details and made Sothis less mischievous this time around. Also I lied. We'll be caught up with the original in chapter five, not four. I'm going to greatly extend El and By's "first meeting" hence it's getting it's own dedicated chapter this time around. Anyways hope you enjoyed the wolfLeth and until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

The first sensation that came to her was pain. A soreness spread throughout her whole body. An ache in her lungs that made breathing not hard exactly but certainly more strenuous than it should be. The next thing that came to Edelgard was the sound of flowing water nearby. Registers the noise for what it was came as a whiplash- a slap in the face. Being dragged under the water, trying to helplessly claw her way out of it as it filled her lungs. That golden eye staring down at her full of vitriol hate. The cold grip of fear took hold of her while those images tried to drown her in it. It made her shoot up into a sitting position. An unfamiliar coat pools into her lap at the sudden motion. She takes deep, long breaths to savor the feeling of actually being able to breath air. Somehow, by some miracle Edelgard is alive.

The feeling of being watched pricks at her skin. She turns toward it’s direction expecting to find a hulking beast staring down at her with the promise of death. Instead she finds herself face to face with soft pools of blue. A unique shade she’s never seen on a person before. Those gorgeous eyes attached to an equally beautiful face. Framed by a wild mane of choppy hair that’s oddly fitting for its owner. For a long moment the two simply stared at each other, neither really sure what to do in this situation. Neither moving even an inch. It felt as though time had frozen as Edelgard found herself unable to tear her gaze away from this stranger. Completely lost in those clear, blue depths.

Except time hadn’t actually frozen. A sharp wind flew through the trees and felt like an icy slap against Edelgard’s bare skin. It was only then that she registered her current state of dress. With nothing but her underwear and the coat in her lap covering her. She lifted up the coat in an attempt to cover herself. The fur lining the inside of it tickling her bare skin. The stranger politely averts her gaze.

“My clothes are...?” Edelgard’s cheeks heated from embarrassment. Even her ears felt warmer than normal.

“Ah sorry, I didn’t want you to get sick.” The woman on the other hand appeared unbothered. Getting up to retrieve the clothes she left to dry on a low hanging branch.

Although perhaps there is no reason to be flustered in this situation. They’re both women and she only stripped Edelgard down over concerns for her health. Who also had the decency not to strip her completely naked. That did nothing to wane the heat burning in her face. In an attempt to distract herself Edelgard takes a moment to study her presumed saviour. Seeing how the tight shirt she wears emphasizes her figure rather than hides it. The way her biceps are swollen with muscles. Maybe Edelgard actually had drowned and gone to heaven.

“They’re still a bit damp.” It’s only when the woman speaks up that Edelgard realizes she’s _staring_. Forcing her eyes off of those toned arms and to the woman’s face instead. Just in time to catch a flash of movement atop her head.

“That’s fine.” Now that Edelgard’s looking carefully there’s a tuft of hair on her that doesn’t quite look right. The tuft flips up revealing what had actually been a pair of fluffy ears tucked close to her head. When the woman hands Edelgard her clothes she’s grateful for the moment to process it gives her. While she slowly works her cold shirt on she takes a step back to recount everything that has happened so far:

First Lysithea had shown her an old journal with all manner of creatures recorded onto it’s pages. Thinking they couldn’t possibly be real, Edelgard had ventured into the forest where those creatures supposedly live. As a result she was attacked by a gigantic wolf that can stand on two legs like a person. The only reason it hadn’t bitten her head off was because she had fallen into the river and was dragged deeper into the monster infested forest. Now she’s stuck in the middle of goddess knows where with a woman that has… what Edelgard thinks is dog ears. Either Edelgard is having an extremely vivid dream or she needs to re-evaluate life.

The icy chill of wet clothes against her skin tells Edelgard it's probably not the former. If this truly was a dream then nearly drowning should’ve woken her. The life contemplation on the other hand will have to wait until Edelgard isn’t in the middle of fucking nowhere. With the woman’s back to her Edelgard can spot a furry tail attached to her person as well. Sensing the younger’s stare the woman glances back, seeing that she’s now dressed the maybe-dog-lady tosses Edelgard her bag.

“I’m Byleth. I’ve never seen a human around here before.” Edelgard’s instinctive response to the blunt statement is to become guarded. However Byleth bears no judgment in her tone. In fact she seems rather passive about the whole thing. 

“Edelgard, and I can’t say I’ve ever had the chance to meet a…” She trails off, unsure of how to finish that sentence. Calling Byleth a dog lady seems like it’d be rather rude but she doesn’t know what else to call her.

“Werewolf.” Thankfully Byleth is more than happy to answer the unspoken question. So Edelgard’s original assessment wasn’t entirely off the mark. Now that she’s decided to just accept all of this, she vaguely wonders how many stories of werewolves and the like are true and how much isn’t.

“Regardless thank you for helping me.” Edelgard decides to check the contents of her bag. The bread is completely soggy so she tosses it aside. One of her remaining apples is bruised and joins the bread. A twinge of guilt runs through Edelgard when she feels her fingers brush against the journal. There’s no way it survived the swim.

Yet when she lifts it out of the bag it looks perfectly fine. Even when she flips through the pages it appears as though not a single drop of water had touched it. Lysithea had said this journal supposedly once belonged to a witch. It could have been sheer luck or by some form of enchantment. Either way it's a good thing, like this she hadn’t accidentally destroyed her friend’s family heirloom. In fact hadn’t she seen something similar to the wolf that attacked her while Lysithea was skimming through it?

“I couldn’t leave a pretty girl to die.” All thoughts halted with that single, casually stated comment.

Edelgard felt the blush crawl up her cheeks. The wolf only tilted her head innocently, ears flopping with the motion of her head moving. It made Edelgard feel a little foolish for being so startled by the compliment. Really it wasn’t even that grandiose, like something a child might say in passing. This whole situation has completely thrown off Edelgard’s guard. She no longer knows what to be surprised by and what not to be. If she doesn’t compose herself soon she may very well end up making a complete fool of herself.

The werewolf’s ears swivel towards a sound Edelgard cannot hear. It's rather fascinating how smoothly those lupintine ears meld into Byleth’s very human head. Down to the fur on them perfectly matching the color of her hair. Edelgard doesn’t realize she’s openly staring until the object of her focus slowly tilts down.

“Are they really that strange?” The werewolf reaches up to prod at her own fuzzy ears, stopping just before her fingers touch them.

“Yes- I mean no!” Edelgard groaned, this is exactly what she had meant by making a fool of herself. She takes a deep breath before continuing. “It is simply something I am not used to seeing is all. I’m sorry for staring.”

“Do you want to touch them?” Byleth scoots over to where she’s seated. The werewolf lowers her head to give Edelgard better access. Eyes sparkling with determination, Byleth was poised as though she were bestowing Edelgard a great treasure. If the werewolf is offering, then she may as well indulge.

Edelgard places her hand between Byleth’s ears. The werewolf’s hair is surprisingly thick, feeling slightly coarse under Edelgard’s palm. She brushes her thumb against the base of one ear. In contrast the fur is softer than she thought it’d be. Byleth leans her head into the touch. Letting out a content hum. When Edelgard lightly scratches it a thumping begins to beat in a slow, steady rhythmic pattern. The sound of Byleth’s tail beating against the ground.

According to all the stories she’s ever read werewolves are man eating monsters. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, except replace “sheep” with the ability to take on a human form. When out of their disguises nothing but beasts that run on pure instinct. Those tales must be sorely over exaggerated. For the werewolf before her can only possibly be described as cute. Enough so that Edelgard can’t contain the giggle that spills out of her.

Byleth’s eyes widen a fraction at the sound. The thumping of her tail increased in frequency. Though the hand against her head is soothing her heart is acting up again. Pounding quickly in her chest as if she’d just done a hard workout. Yet instead of feeling tired Byleth feels energized. Despite it being a completely foreign sensation she kinda likes it.

The moment is ruined by Edelgard’s stomach gurgling. It’s only then she realizes she hasn’t eaten a proper meal at all today. A single apple in the early hours when the sun is beginning to dip below the horizon can hardly be considered healthy. Edelgard takes her hand off of Byleth’s head. 

“... I have some fish I can cook if you’d like.” The werewolf leans back to reach a basket filled with the promised fish. 

“I would appreciate it.” It pains Edelgard to be so dependent on another. However the circumstances aren’t exactly giving her a choice in the matter. Dragged off to a land completely unfamiliar to her, with hardly a thing on her person.

That doesn’t mean Edelgard can’t aid the werewolf. Helping gather the twigs necessary to craft a makeshift campfire. Either picking them off the ground or snapping off the ends of branches. Between the two of them it doesn’t take long to gather more than enough. 

While the fire builds up Byleth gets to work de-scaling the fish. Edelgard uses this time to return to her earlier task. Finding the drawing of the wolf within the pages of the journal. Just as she thought, minus the lack of a scar across it’s face the picture is a recreation of the wolf that attacked her. The text beside it has her less pleased with the finding. It’s not a wolf at all but another _werewolf_. One in their beastly form. 

According to the journal a whole village of them lies hidden somewhere within the forest. They protect this land from those who enter it with ill intent. That would explain why that one-eyed wolf had attacked her. From their perspective Edelgard is a trespasser in their home. Byleth on the other hand seems unbothered by this fact. This werewolf before her has been nothing but kind, the first on the other hand had looked at her with pure hatred. If she’s lucky the latter will think Edelgard had died to the water. Hopefully she can get what she came here for without running into anything else that wants to kill her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this we are only one chapter away from being caught up! Whenever I finish chapter 5 I'll delete the original as promised. No point in keeping it up really as it'll for sure never be finished and is just an inferior version of this. Speaking of originally I was planning to have the whole head patting/ear scratching thing happen later on, but after thinking about I realized there's no better time to include it! And yes Byleth was a smidge disappointed when El stopped.
> 
> Okay this isn't technically about this fic buuuut... I'm thinking either in chapter 45 or 46 of Ashen sending out a wee little code for my discord that will expire after 24 hours. Where y'all can occasionally chat with me and a few other amazing peeps. So keep an eye out for that if y'all are interested. Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

While mornings in town are often signaled by the howls of roosters a different song greets the sun in the woods. Songbirds with their far more gentle chittering, the croaks of frogs as they emerge from beneath rocks. Edelgard groans at the various sounds stirring her from her slumber. Without any walls surrounding her to muffle them it’s so  _ loud _ . Not only that sunlight dribbles through fog blinding her even with her eyes closed. The only thing keeping Edelgard from surrendering to the disturbances being how comfortable she is. With her over sized cloak snugly wrapped around her frame and the unbelievably soft pillow she’s nestled against. It’s similar to the times she would take naps against the sheep when she was younger. It's something splashing in the river that gets Edelgard to crack open her eyes. Only then does she realize what exactly she’s laying against.

The werewolf’s tail is far better groomed than her hair. More care having been given to keeping it clean making her fur incredibly soft. Edelgard scurries away from the woman she’d at some point started embracing in her sleep. The only acknowledgment Byleth gives of the sudden motion is a mindless flick of her tail. Otherwise she shows no signs of waking. Something Edelgard is eternally grateful for. Had the werewolf awoken while she was clinging to her tail like it's a stuffed animal she might have died of embarrassment. With that shock whisking away all the sleep out of her Edelgard let out a sigh. It doesn’t look like Byleth is going to wake up anytime soon, and she’s not confident in her ability to safely navigate through the forest without getting even more lost. That leaves her with nothing to do but wait.

The crunch of gravel and a flash of movement draws her eyes to the bank. Edelgard finds herself locking eyes with a beaked face. With green, leathery skin stretched thinly over the muscles beneath. Though the creature bears a turtle-like shell on it’s back it’s body is distinctly humanoid. Webbed hands had frozen mid air from it’s slow crawl out of the water once the creature realized it had been noticed. The kappa cautiously eyed the human staring at them before shifting their attention to the werewolf. They clacked their beak once, an ear flicked but otherwise the werewolf remains unresponsive.

There’s a moment of awkward silence before all hell breaks loose. The kappa lunges forward, grabbing Edelgard by her ankle and pulling back. She kicks her free leg at the kappa’s face. All it does is daze it for a moment, it clacks it’s beak angrily before grabbing her free leg as well. All Edelgard can do is uselessly claw at the grass as it drags her towards the water. The cold piercing straight into her bones, lungs filling with liquid, the dark depths digging it’s claws into her skin, a golden eye sneering down at her-

Edelgard is yanked back by her hood. She wipes her head back to find cornflower hues blown wide. Byleth hooked an arm under Edelgard’s arm, counteracting the kappa’s attempts to drag her under. The werewolf strong enough to pull all three of them back onto the shore. Edelgard gasped out, her body not quite having yet realized that she can safely breath again. A large hand rests against her back for a moment. The contact helps soothe her shaken soul. Once her breathing starts to even out Byleth moves her hand away. Turning her attention instead to Edelgard’s attacker. The moment her eyes meet the kappa's, Byleth tackles it to the ground. It flails within her grasp clicking it’s beak in pleas. When she slams her palm against it’s throat it’s whole body goes limp with a pathetic wheeze.

It was disorienting quick the whole exchange had been. It couldn’t have lasted more than a couple of minutes, if even that. Edelgard’s head spun as she tried to process everything that had just happened. Byleth remained alert even after the kappa lay dead beneath her. It’s neck crushed under the weight of her hand. Her ears swiveled atop her head, seeking out any signs of potential danger. Apprehension wrought through her entire frame with no indication of going away. 

“Byleth?” The werewolf tensed, ready to pounce again at a moment’s notice. Once her mind registered it was Edelgard who had called her she relaxed. Stepping off of the corpse to check on her.

“Are you alright?” Byleth eyed the girl for any injuries. Besides looking a shade paler there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with her.

“You’re bleeding.” Instead of answering, Edelgard brings her hand up to the werewolf’s cheek. Stopping just before her fingers could touch the three long gashes there. Small beads of red dripping from the tears in her skin.

“Nothing a bit of patching up can’t fix.” Byleth took Edelgard’s hand within her own. They both realized at the same time there was something off.

The werewolf’s hand is much larger than the younger’s. Fur blooming along it all the way up to Byleth’s elbows. Dark, long claws protruding from the tips of her fingers. Byleth mumbled out a near silent apology as she let go of Edelgard’s hand. The fur covering her arms recede until they return to their previous shape. The werewolf unclips a pouch from her belt. Before she could open it a hand was placed on top of her own. Edelgard gazed straight at her with a frown that doesn’t suit her pretty face. Byleth gives into the unspoken request, letting her take the pouch.

Thankfully they hadn’t been in the water long enough to soak through and damage the basic medical supplies Byleth keeps on hand. She doesn’t flinch when Edelgard wipes the injury clean. The only indication of the stinging it causes being the flick of her tail. The silence hanging over them is heavy, borderline claustrophobic despite being out in the open. 

“Is attacking humans a common occurrence around here?” Edelgard is the one to break it. She has a feeling she already knows the answer to that question. Still it doesn’t hurt to get confirmation.

“Kappas are assholes.” The unexpected crude response gets a snort out of Edelgard. Byleth doesn’t share her amusement. Ears pressing flat against her head and refusing to look directly at her charge. “I don’t know about the others, but my kind doesn’t think too highly of humans.”

Edelgard figured as much, her first encounter with a werewolf made that clear enough. It’s a miracle she managed to run into a werewolf that doesn’t want her dead. A stroke of luck that she is eternally grateful for. Were she a religious woman she’d thank the goddess for this mercy. As things currently stand Edelgard knows who she should really be showing gratitude. 

“I don’t think I could ever possibly thank you enough.” Byleth glanced back up at her. Edelgard offered her a smile as she stuck a bandage to her cheek. “That’s twice now that you’ve saved me.”

“You don’t have to, I did it because I wanted to.” Maybe it was how close they were, faces only inches apart, or maybe it was the low tone with which Byleth spoke. Perhaps even a combination of both. 

Whatever it was Edelgard felt her face grow hot. She swallowed down the lump beginning to form in her throat. Once again she couldn’t help but take note of Byleth’s untamed beauty. Even the effects of camping out in the open had done little to diminish it. The way she looked at Edelgard- so soft and open- wasn’t helping matters in the slightest. That’s no good, Edelgard has come all this way for a reason. She can fawn over a handsome werewolf after she’s accomplished her goal.

“E-Either way, I’d hate to ask a favor after you’ve already helped me so much, but I’m actually looking for something.” Better to ask a local then mindlessly wonder around for goddess knows how long. “A flower.”

The werewolf tilted her head as Edelgard scrambled over to where her bag lays. Retrieving the journal from its depths. Finding the specific part she’s looking for is simple with the bookmark she left between its pages. When she shows it to Byleth recognition immediately flashes behind her cornflower hues.

“If we keep following the river downstream it eventually hits a cliff, where it forms into a lake.” The werewolf points in the direction she’s referring to. Were it not for the dense trees blocking their view they might have been able to see it from there. “You can find lots of them growing there.”

“We?” The journal is safely returned to the bag. Edelgard slings it over her shoulder before squeezing some of the water out of her hair. As tempting as it is she’s not willing to strip out of her wet clothes in the early morning light. Hopefully the sun will help her dry quickly.

“I’ll take you there.” Edelgard was about to protest when the werewolf beat her to it. “It’s my job to protect this place and you’re technically trespassing. I wouldn’t be a very good guardian if I let you roam freely.”

“Don’t think I don’t know what your real reason for doing this is. I’m not some frail maiden that needs protection.” The look Byleth shoots Edelgard makes it clear what she thinks about that claim. “I’m fully aware I haven’t exactly done a good job of proving that, but I don’t want to be coddled.”

Understanding immediately fills the werewolf. She knows how frustrating it can be to feel helpless. Being in an unfamiliar place with a complete stranger probably isn’t helping matters at all. Byleth wishes she could comfort the girl but wasn’t sure how. That was until she started to collect her own things. When her fingers brushed against a hilt. It’s not much but it's better than nothing. The dagger Byleth always keeps on hand soon finds itself in Edelgard’s grasp. Which has the younger girl raising an eyebrow when it's handed to her.

“This way you won’t be completely defenseless.” The werewolf clasps her fur coat around her shoulders. She had been using it as a pillow so it had been spared the unplanned swim. “Let’s get going before something else decides it wants to eat you.”

“Should I worry about you being added to that list?” Edelgard asked in jest. Strapping her newly acquired weapon to her belt.

“Only if you want me to.” Edelgard nearly choked on air. Her head snapped towards the werewolf. A lopsided smile had formed against her lips while her tail swayed back and forth behind her. Were it not for that Edelgard would have thought she were being completely serious with how monotonously Byleth had said that.

“Very funny.” This time the heat spread all the way to the tips of Edelgard’s ears. The potential  _ implications  _ of that joke not lost on her. Her clear embarrassment only makes the wolf’s tail wag faster.

A fuzzy ear flicks back towards the opposite direction they plan to go in. Picking up something too far and too low for a human to detect. The snarl of a beast, a large one at that. Byleth can’t quite tell what exactly it is that made that sound. Only that whatever it is sounded furious. Without another word she urges Edelgard onward. The more distance they put between it and them the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this we are officially caught up and the original has thus been purged as promised. Hence why I took the (Rewrite!) out of the title. Honestly this should have been finished ages ago but I got completely sidetracked. That’s the thing about writing, you go wherever your inspiration is at the time. Sometimes it goes to places you didn’t even know about until then. But yeah our little green friends have popped up again. Poor El, if she wasn’t scared of water before she definitely is now. Not even a full 24 hours and she nearly drowned twice. Anyways sorry this took way longer then it should have and until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

The sun beats down bright and harsh onto the land. It’s only going to get hotter from here on out. Claude wipes away the sweat threatening to drip from his brow. If it weren’t for the threat of heatstroke he wouldn’t mind it so much. It makes it harder to get any work done on the farms. Forcing them to cut their hours shorter. They’ll have to make up for it by waking up earlier until it starts to cool down again. Adjusting their entire schedules to fit the whims of mother nature is just what farmers do. Not tht they have much of a choice in the matter. That’s the reason why Claude found himself mindlessly wandering through the town at noon. Taking a bite out of an apple and debating what to do for the rest of the day. He could bother Hilda, who's probably using the heat as an excuse to delay her orders. They can both invade Lysithea’s place. The poor girl must be deathly bored being stuck in her house. 

“Oh Reigan.” A call makes Claude pause mid bite. He turns in the direction it came from to see a gentle gaint with graying hair. Ionius has a building bag slung over his shoulder, no doubt having just finished shopping. “Can’t handle the heat?”

“I’ve decided to take a few lessons from Hilda and try lazing around for a change.” Claude responds after he’s finished with his snack.

“Oh of course, a model student that girl.” That gets a small chuckle out of both of them. As the girl in question is anything but that. That mirth quickly gets replaced by concern for Ionius. “Have you seen El? She left for somewhere before I woke up.”

There’s a brief moment where Claude’s mind grinds to a complete halt. The conversation he had with the girl in question yesterday replaying behind his eyes. That crazy, near suicidal half-plan that she had concocted. Actually calling it a half-plan is generous. Edelgard wouldn’t actually go through it, would she? She certainly is stubborn enough to do something that stupid if she feels the benefits outweigh the consequences.

“She must be with Lysithea.” Claude easily lies through his teeth. Giving Ionious a reassuring smile. “I was about to head over there myself. If you need something from her I can pass on a message.”

“No it’s fine. I just couldn’t remember the last time she woke up before me. Got a little worried something might have happened.” Ionius averted his gaze. “Well, I guess in a way something has.”

“Yeah.” His voice cracked. It’s something Claude has been trying not to think about. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they want to spend as much of the time they have left together.” 

“Then I shouldn’t be keeping you either. Let El know that she’s welcome to stay at the Ordelia’s for a few days if she wants to.”

Claude waves off the old man with a false smile.Trying his best not to walk away too quickly. He prays to the goddess- scratch that, to any god that would care to listen that he’s wrong. That Edelgard simply wants some time to herself or actually is with Lysithea. The first thing he decides to do is check off any other possible locations Edelgard could be. Wanting to ensure that he’s right before getting on Lysithea’s case over this. He checks all the places he knows Edelgard likes. The baker that sells fruit cakes, behind the tiny church, hell Claude even checks the hill he once caught her sketching in only for her to never visit it again. With each spot that comes up empty he finds it harder to maintain his composure. Especially when asking around proves to be equally fruitless.

When Claude is greeted by Ms Ordelia he responds in complete auto pilot. The words exchanged barely registering in his mind. He instinctively goes to his friend’s room, finding it empty he turns and goes a couple doors down instead. Not even bothering to knock. When he bursts through the door Lysithea yelps. The book she had been completely engrossed in falling carelessly from her lap and a hans being placed over her racing heart. 

“What the hell Claude!” Once she realizes who had scared her half to death Lysithea’s eyes narrowed into a furious glare. “Don’t barge in here like that!”

“Edelgard is gone.” Claude on the other hand isn’t in the mood to entertain her annoyance.

“Wha… What do you mean she’s gone?” Lysithea’s face quickly grew pale, well paler than before.

“You told her about that journal but didn’t tell her you can use magic.” Claude slammed his palm onto one of the stacks of books causing the girl to flinch back.

“T-That was once and I don’t even know how I did it!” It had been a halfhearted attempt when she was younger, done purely out of boredom. A small light she had managed to conjure in the palm of her hand. Something she had never been able to replicate again and that Claude had just so happened to witness. “You know she wouldn’t believe something like that without proof.” 

“Lysithea if magic is real then chances are pretty good  _ everything  _ written in that journal is.” As absurd as it is, there’s no denying that fact. He doubts that the journal is one hundred percent accurate- especially given how old it is- but there is definitely some truth to the knowledge it contains. In particular all the nasty creatures that could easily kill them if given the oppurtunity.

“She promised me she wouldn’t go alone. I thought between how stupidly strong Dimitri is and your gun it would be fine.”

“Well both of us decided it was a stupid plan and now she’s gone off by herself.” Part of him knows it’s not entirely Lysithea’s fault. Most of the blame lies with Edelgard. She should know better than to run off by herself like this.

“I didn’t think she’d- I wasn’t…” Panic had begun to settle within Lysithea’s ribs. Her vision blurring as progressively worse scenarios play out in her mind. It makes the fury within Claude simmer down into smoldering embers. 

“Look, I’m not going to lie and say everything will turn out fine but there’s still a chance I’m wrong.” He went back to the doorway, staying here won’t accomplish anything. “I’ll see if I can’t find her near the edge of the woods.”

If Edelgard had set out before her dad had woken up then she must be miles away by now. Not unless at some point she decided to turn back. That is if she hasn’t already been eaten by a monster. Claude doesn’t want anything bad to happen to her, but at the same time if something does it’s her own fault. That doesn’t stop his stomach from dropping at the realization the last conversation he may ever have with Edelgard was an argument. Goddammit he really hopes he’s wrong.

\-----

If the heat is bad in their quaint town than it’s infinitely worse here in the woods. The higher the sun peaks the more Edelgard feels like she just stepped out of the water. Humidity making her clothes stick to her skin unpleasantly. The only true relief being the copious amounts of shade the trees provide. Even Byleth is feeling the brunt of the harsh conditions. Having taken off her coat and wrapping it around her waist instead. Leaving her arms almost completely exposed to the elements. Since Edelgard is walking slightly behind the wolf it provides her an eyeful of tanned skin and thick biceps. It might help relieve Byleth of the heat but it only makes it worse for Edelgard. She quickly turns her attention elsewhere before untoward thoughts begin to invade her mind.

Byleth’s ears swivel atop her head. The fuzzy appendages flicking towards whatever sound catches their attention. Which replaces her impure thoughts with a different kind of temptation. Edelgard wants to run her fingers through her hair. To feel that softness under her fingertips once again. She let out a long sigh, causing a fuzzy ear to flick back. Soon followed by the wolf’s head doing the same.

“We can stop if you need to rest.” Her concern is appreciated but at the moment unwarranted.

“I’m alright.” While it’s true Edelgard is indeed tired, she’s not sure she could resist the urge to touch the other woman while idle. 

Byleth stops suddenly, forcing Edelgard to do the same. The wolf turns to properly face the smaller woman. Carefully scrutinizing her. Edelgard shifts her weight from one foot to the other. The intensity of that cornflower gaze making her squirm. Byleth’s ears tilt up towards the treetops above them. That’s the only warning either of them gets before something lands on the wolf’s head with a splat. 

There’s a moment of stilted silence where neither are entirely sure how to react. The orange goop slowly soaking into the wolf’s hair. Byleth reaches up to touch it before pulling her fingers away from the sticky substance. Staring at her own hand in complete bafflement. The chime of barely contained snickers making Byleth’s ears tilt back. She glares up at the source of the laughing. Edelgard follows suit but only catches a glimpse of movement disappearing into the leaves. She thinks she can make out a bumbled out ‘sorry’ fading away.

“Damn pixies.” The wolf’s grumble causes Edelgard to give up on spotting the culprit. Byleth’s ears are pressed tight against her head and her lips downcast in a deep frown. A hand hovers over the worst of the damage, debating how exactly to get this mess off of her. In the end Byleth let’s out a huff. Shaking her head in a very dog-like fashion. It does succeed in getting the worst of it off at the cost of catching Edelgard in the crossfire. “Ah, sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Edelgard attempts to wipe some of it off her face. The feel and look of it is familiar. “Is this... honey?” Part of her is tempted to lick it off her fingers and find out. The more reasonable part of her brain decides tasting random substances is not a curiosity worth sating.

The wolf lifts Edelgard’s chin to better inspect the unintentional damage she’s done. At first she thinks Byleth is going to wipe the rest off. Instead the wolf reveals her own lack of inhibitions by leaning down and shamelessly dragging her tongue across Edelgard’s cheek. She instinctively tries to jump away from the sudden lick with a squeal. Except the arm that had found it’s way around her waist keeps her in place.

Edelgard feels her heart hammer in her throat. Trying to calm it by telling herself werewolves must have completely different social norms from humans. That this sort of proximity to one another might not be viewed as scandalous to them. It fails spectacularly in pushing down her growing blush. Especially when the closeness causes their hips to slot together. Between that, how she can feel Byleth’s breath tickling her skin, and the overbearing heat it’s impossible for her body not to react to this sort of intimacy. Her breath hitches when she feels Byleth adjust the arm around her waist.

The wolf pulling away comes as both a relief and a disappointment. Neither lasts for long. As Byleth sees fit to turn her attention to her hand next. Lavishing Edelgard’s fingers with the same affection so casually. Edelgard tries to bite down her voice which threatens to spill forth. Failing to contain the mewl that manages to slip through. Byleth’s ears immediately shoot straight up. Her body locking up completely. When she eventually finds the will to move her cornflower hues darken. Staring intently at the young woman in her arms. That morning Edelgard had joked about the wolf wanting to eat her, it didn’t feel like a jest anymore. Whatever had taken over Byleth vanished in an instant. Replaced by a cacophony of emotions flickering over her expression.

“I-I’m sorry. That was a bit- I shouldn’t have-” Byleth scrambles back away from Edelgard, putting a polite distance between them. Her cheeks darkening from both shame and embarrassment. “I uh should get this stuff out of my hair.” 

She turns away. Mumbling to herself about how honey isn’t good for her fur. Edelgard is hardly listening to what she’s ranting to herself about. Too fixated on how the wolf’s tail is vigorously wagging. Edelgard bite the inside of her cheek, reminding herself they haven’t even known each other a full day yet. That’s far too soon to entertain whatever  _ this _ is. Especially when she has far more important things to be worrying about right now than her love life. 

Once she’s gotten Lysithea’s medicine then she’ll work on figuring out this mess. Until that happens Edelgard will have to simply put up with these untoward temptations. It will be a great test of her willpower. One that she fears she may end up failing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah my friends, it’s been so fucking long! I hadn’t meant to leave wolfleth untouched for so long but things just kinda ended up that way? I would have definitely had this finished a couple days sooner if my laptop hadn’t decided to suddenly die on me. I’ve acquired a temporary replacement until I can get a proper one but uh if any of you try to reach out to me via twitter or tumblr before then I can’t guarantee I’ll see it in a timely manner. As this chromebook is not mine. Enough about my technical difficulties, onto this chapter itself!
> 
> Claude I’m sorry to inform you Edelgard is in fact in threat of being eaten, just not in the way you think. I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this or not before but I do want Claude and Lys and Dimi to eventually play an important role in this little tale. However that will not happen until after El and Byleth finish their private journey together. Speaking of them we got some mischievous little forest dwellers unintentionally COUGHhelpingCOUGH slowing down our two girls a bit. Such COUGHgreatCOUGH terrible luck. How unfortunate that Byleth has grown up in a community with almost no sense of personal space and is alone with a very pretty young lady. 
> 
> Err I say that but I hadn’t planned for this chapter to be this thirsty. Another thing that just kinda happened. Well considering nothing actually happens I don’t think it warrants a rating increase just yet but we'll both see what the future holds. Until next time!


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